consumer

So Apple, now you're doing more consumer research?

I had always thought that Apple's software was simple to use.

You press something with a nice bright color and a pretty design and the whole thing just materializes.

And yet the recent Boy Genius TV spots -- you remember, the ones where slightly older men wondered which button to click on and a genius baled them out at 4 a.m. -- made one wonder whether everyone thought Apple's software was so simple.

But it's not as if Apple is ever going to ask you, is it?

The company's legend was always that it wasn'… Read more

Consumer Reports checks out Apple Maps, and isn't happy

Apple may think a lot of its new Maps app in iOS 6, but for Consumer Reports, the software remains a work in progress.

"Maps feels like a fresh, new product that has much maturing to do before it can rival paid ($20-$40) apps from leading navigation companies, such as Garmin, Navigon, and TomTom," the organization noted in a post published on its Web site.

Maps has a simple interface that will likely appeal to Apple users, especially those in a car, ready to travel. However, we consider it to be short on options, including many that … Read more

Microsoft's Bing team turns to apps for mobile and gaming

Microsoft's Online Services Division (OSD) is the home of the Bing search platform, MSN and Microsoft advertising. But it's also where a couple of hundred developers are working full-time on writing apps for Windows 8 tablets, Windows Phones and the Xbox gaming console.

This team -- known as AppEx (Application Experiences) -- is the one that built the news, travel, finance, weather, sports and maps applications that have shipped as part of the Windows 8 test builds. They're using primarily (but not exclusively) HTML5 and JavaScipt to build showcase apps that may (but don't have to) … Read more

Netflix shares down again, set new 52-week low

Shares of video-rental service Netflix fell 5 percent in early trading this morning to $56.81.

The company is now trading well below its previous 52-week low, following a collapse in the stock price yesterday when shares fell 25 percent. The company warned in its second-quarter earnings report this week that it might report a loss in the fourth quarter and also might not add as many subscribers as it had expected.

A host of analysts downgraded the stock yesterday and Consumer Reports reported that Netflix's service didn't fare particularly well in a consumer-satisfaction survey.

Though Consumer Reports, … Read more

AMD has scary things to say about the PC market

Advanced Micro Devices, the world's second largest PC processor supplier, had some sobering things to say about the PC market when the company reported earnings Thursday.

"For the first time since 2001, client PC shipments have declined sequentially for three consecutive quarters-and have been below historical averages for the last seven quarters," AMD CEO Rory Read said during the chip supplier's second quarter earnings conference call.

"We also believe the PC industry may be resetting to a new [lower] baseline," he said.

Revenue declined 10 percent to $1.41 billion for the the Sunnyvale, … Read more

The Great Privacy Debate takes place tomorrow in D.C.

If you're in Washington, D.C., this week, you should stop by the National Press Club for The Great Privacy Debate tomorrow over lunch starting at noon ET. I'll be moderating the event.

The debate topic couldn't be more timely: "Consumer privacy can be adequately protected without new legislation." It comes as Congress and other state and national legislatures are considering new laws in this area (we'll be starting promptly at noon so we can end in time for folks to attend a Senate hearing on facial recognition technology at 2:30 p.m. … Read more

Get the Microsoft Office 2013 Customer Preview right now

Today, Microsoft announced the latest version of its popular productivity suite, Office 2013. The Office suite has been reworked with Windows 8 and touch-screen tablets in mind. One more key feature is that it will rely heavily on the cloud.

If you're eager to get your hands on this new set of tools, you'll be glad to know you won't have to wait. Microsoft has posted a Customer Preview of Office 2013 here. You'll need to be running Windows 7 or the Release Preview of Windows 8 in order to install it. You will notice the … Read more

Activists want stronger privacy protections for driverless cars

Internet companies do whatever they want and it needs to stop, a consumer group said in an argument calling for more privacy protection in robotic cars.

Consumer Watchdog is hoping lawmakers amend SB 1298 -- a bill that is expected to be approved by the California Assembly's Transportation Committee today -- to ensure that driverless cars gather the data necessary to run the car and nothing more. A similar bill has already passed in Nevada.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla of Pacoima, Calif. would require the California Highway Patrol to develop rules and regulations to govern how … Read more

Seagate to buy controlling stake in storage rival LaCie

If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em.

Storage manufacturer Seagate announced today that it is seeking to purchase a controlling stake -- 64.5 percent -- in consumer rival LaCie.

If approved by regulators, Seagate would then make an all-cash offer for the French company's remaining outstanding shares. LaCie Chief Executive Philippe Spruch would lead Seagate's consumer storage products organization.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Seagate's interest is fairly straightforward, and the companies are complementary from the standpoint of sales channels and retailer relationships. (Although LaCie sells its wares across the globe, including in the U.S., its … Read more

Flat-panel TV prices move higher: Ready for the upsell?

In what could be construed as a shocking development in consumer electronics, flat-screen TV prices are creeping higher, according to data from research firm IHS.

IHS' iSuppli unit, which tracks the electronics supply chain, reports that flat-panel TV prices have climbed 11.4 percent since December 2011. In April, the average price for LCD and plasma TVs was $1,248, $78 higher than four months ago.

That jump may not sound like a lot, but it's the highest four-month spike over the last year. What's causing the price creep? … Read more